Some Medicaid funding could be coming to Texas

Texas leaders are among the staunchest opponents of the Obama administration’s health care overhaul.

But that doesn’t mean the state is entirely ignoring the federal funds still up for grabs.

Health leaders in Texas are working out a deal with the Obama administration to accept about $100 million to boost its care for the elderly and disabled, Politico reported.

Gov. Rick Perry’s spokesman said the Community First Choice program falls in line with the state’s longstanding support for people with disabilities.

“Long before Obamacare was forced on the American people, Texas was implementing policies to provide those with intellectual disabilities more community options to enable them to live more independent lives, at a lower cost to taxpayers,” Josh Havens said in a statement.

“The Texas Health and Human Services Commission will continue to move forward with these policies because they are right for our citizens and our state, regardless of whatever funding schemes may be found in Obamacare,” he wrote.

The program would benefit about 12,000 Texans. Officials aim to implement it by Sept. 2014.

Perry and his right-hand man, Attorney General Greg Abbott, have blasted the federal government for what they call failed legislation, drawing criticism for turning down federal funds that would have amounted to $1 billion over a decade.

Kathleen Sebelius, who heads the Department of Health and Human Services, has repeatedly marked Texas – with the highest percentage of unemployed individuals in the country, as a priority for the “Obamacare” expansion.